In alignment with the principles of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat,' officials have announced the indigenous development of an "end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem" by the Indian Army.

Named SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version), this system is crafted to offer secure communication with immediate connectivity while on the move. Utilizing cutting-edge 5G technology, it is considered a substantial advancement in India's defense capabilities, as emphasized by a senior official.

Developed through close collaboration with national centres of excellence from academia and industry, the newly introduced "end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem" addresses the vulnerability of mobile networks to eavesdropping, thereby minimizing the risk of compromising information security on mobile devices.

An official emphasized the importance of this network-agnostic ecosystem, designed to ensure secure communication with instant connectivity while on the move. The newly developed system capitalizes on the capabilities of indigenous public cellular networks within the country.

The ecosystem incorporates "5G-ready handsets utilizing multi-tier encryption." This aligns with the government of India's initiatives promoting "dual-use infrastructure" and demonstrates the concept of "civil-military fusion" in the realm of emerging technology, as stated by official sources.

Regarding the SAMBHAV ecosystem, officials have outlined the configuration plan for 35,000 sets in two phases. The initial phase aims to configure 2,500 sets by January 15, with the remaining sets slated for configuration by May 31 of this year. The secure applications and operating system developed indigenously, are considered a "significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat," according to the official.

SAMBHAV features a multi-layered encryption system within a secure ecosystem spanning across India. According to officials, it operates on a commercial network with built-in security measures. They also note that the Indian Army is currently undergoing a transformation and is anticipated to attain significant capabilities in cyberspace.

The Indian Army has established a strong cyber defence triad, covering people, process, and technology. They emphasize that conventional capabilities are no longer the sole indicators of military strength, as state and non-state actors worldwide are actively developing strategies to overcome conventional asymmetries.

Officials highlight that cyberspace has become a principal domain of hybrid warfare, with a manifold increase in the proliferation of networks and IT infrastructure within the Indian Army. This dynamic landscape presents both opportunities and threats across the continuum of operations.

The establishment of Command Cyber Operations Support Wings (CCOSWs) is underway, serving as special sub-units to enhance cyber capability. As per sources, Cyber capability is being strengthened and integrated at all levels, with defense cyber agencies operating at the strategic level, while CCOSWs will function at the operational and tactical levels.

For each command, six CCOSWs are being set up, and personnel will undergo specialist training along with validation exercises, according to official sources.

Image source: Indian Express